Dr. Adel ElSafty, professor of civil environmental engineering in the School of Engineering at the University of North Florida, was named 2015 Educator of the Year by the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI), a national scientific, technical and professional institute for the precast concrete structures industry.
The national Educator of the Year Award recognizes engineering, architecture and/or construction technology educators who have made significant contributions to the precast/prestressed concrete industry in their early careers in academia. ElSafty, a Southside resident, will receive $1,000 and a plaque during the PCI Committee Days Conference in Louisville, Ky., later this month.
During his tenure at UNF, ElSafty has been instrumental in developing courses focused on precast/prestressed concrete for the first time. He’s included prestressed topics into courses on reinforced concrete design, bridge engineering and advanced mechanics of materials. Additionally, he’s developed a course specifically focused on prestressed concrete.
The PCI Foundation has also recognized the efforts of ElSafty by supporting his development of a precast/prestressed engineering design studio at UNF. He advises students participating in the PCI Big Beam Competition and mentors many more, working with graduate and undergraduate students on various concrete research projects.
The local Florida PCI region supported ElSafty’s nomination, citing “his classroom teaching style, his interactions with his students and his motivation to expand precast engineering” as clear examples of deserving the award. He has been a member of PCI since 2011 and has received numerous other awards, including a Fulbright U.S. Scholar grant, the International Scholarship and Paper Award, National Teaching and Research Award, UNF Award of Research Excellence and the Florida Prestressed Concrete Association Education Foundation Award, to name a few.
ElSafty received his doctorate in civil engineering from North Carolina State University. His research interests include bridge engineering, fiber reinforced polymer applications, nondestructive testing/evaluation of structures, concrete durability and structural rehabilitation/strengthening.